XnView / XnView Deluxe - concurrent install conflicts

[SeaMaiden]

XnView 1.74 (freeware)
XnView Deluxe 2.5-1.75 (shareware)

PROBLEM: Unable to change File Associations and certain other Options in either program

Both programs are installed in different directories in Windows XP SP2. After reading Common Graphic Formats in the FAQ, I wanted to associate DjVu, GIF, JP2, JPG, PNG, LDF, LWF with XnView. When I opened Options in XnView to change file associations (not file types), the changes did not stick. Next I tried changing the associations in XnView Deluxe to see if it would work there, but it did not. The changes also did not stick.

If I close and reopen the Options dialog box or the application itself, the choices I checked are no longer checked. The same is true of certain other Options. I am able to change some View, Read, Write, and Browser Options but not others.

Are there problems having both XnView and XnView Deluxe installed at the same time? I want to try the new 1.80 RC2 beta but do not want to install a third version of XnView until I deal with this problem.

Could the XnShellEx plugin be contributing to the problem? Maybe it does not know which XnView to open. I installed that yesterday. None of the XnView plugins were added to Deluxe, but the XnView skins were copied over so my Deluxe could also have Toolbar 4 (Dominque Clement), my favorite. The two XnViews have been installed for a little while now. I remember setting Options for both when they were originally installed, but do not know if the file association problem and other Options problem existed then or not.

XnView 1.74 (freeware)
8bf:
- Harrys Filter (came with XnView)
Lut:
- 8to10log.lut, 10logto8.lut (came with XnView)
PlugIns:
- Default (came with XnView)
PlugInsEx:
- Xhtml.dll 1.0.0.2 (installed last year)
- Xasc.dll 1.0.0.1 (installed last month)
- Xswf.dll 1.0.0.1 (installed last month)
- SageThumbs 1.0.0.12 (not installed due to Russian language & may conflict with XnShellEx)
ShellEx:
- XnViewShellExt.dll 1.2 (installed yesterday)

XnView Deluxe 2.5-1.75 (shareware)
8bf:
- Harrys Filter (came with XnView Deluxe)
AddOn:
- Pocket.dll (came with XnView Deluxe)
PlugIns:
- Default (came with XnView Deluxe)
- MPEG/SVCD (obtained additional license from Xzeos)


Adding, deleting, or changing File Associations in XnView/XnView Deluxe.

Tools - Options (or Options button on toolbar) - Associations
Check/uncheck boxes to add/change file associations
The changes do not stick

If you need me to write down what all the Options are set at in both programs, that will take a while, but I can type it out in plain text. I like both XnView and XnView Deluxe, but if they are causing conflicts with each other I may have to uninstall one of them. The problem is deciding which one. I know Pierre is continually working on new versions and bug fixes for XnView (free), but is he still working on new versions and bug fixes in XnView Deluxe?

FORUM REFERENCES

Editing File Associations does not work

XnView FAQ

What is XnView Deluxe

Technical Info about XnView's settings (store & load)

How to view thumbnail in context menu of MS Explorer?

Thumbnail view sort of flashes

How can XnView interact with other (graphic) programs